Islamabad must act against terror: Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, who was here on a day-long trip on Sunday, attempted to give a push to his country's engagement with New Delhi. Zardari, who held a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after he landed in the Capital on his way to Ajmer Sharif, talked Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek in an attempt to carry back home some political advantage.

Singh, who played host to the Pakistani president at a time when his government's popularity rating is at an all-time low, took care not to ruffle any feathers here. At the meeting, which lasted 40 minutes, the prime minister said any meaningful movement on bilateral ties would depend on Islamabad's willingness to take substantive steps on terrorism. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai, while briefing newspersons after the meeting, said, "PM told president Zardari that it was imperative to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack to justice, and prevent activities aimed against India from Pakistani soil. In this context PM also mentioned the activities of Hafiz Saeed." Quite expectedly, Zardari referred the matter back to "further discussion'' between the representatives of the two governments.

The Pakistani president, during the course of his discussions, invited Singh to visit Islamabad. He was expected to send a message back home that he was firmly in saddle. Singh, while accepting the invite, did not commit himself to a date. Setting a timeframe, it was felt, would not have been prudent in view of domestic compulsions. "The problem of terrorism is a major issue by which the Indian people will judge progress in bilateral relationship,'' Mathai quoted Singh as having told Zardari.

The 40-minute one-on-one meeting between the two leaders covered a whole range of issues covering bilateral, regional and global concerns. While speaking to newspersons after discussions, the two leaders described their engagement as constructive' and fruitful. The two sides underlined the importance of a calibrated, step-by-step approach in resolving disputes such as Kashmir, Siachin and Sir Creek.

Singh asked Zardari to take firm steps to rein in terror groups operating from his country's soil. He advocated normalisation of relations between the two countries, but said Islamabad had to crack down on terrorism. It could signal its readiness to move in this direction by bringing the perpetrators of Mumbai terror assault to justice. "This can be kept in mind... to make progress in relationship,'' sources quoted Singh as having told Zardari.

Improving trade relations between India and Pakistan was also discussed, Mathai said, adding the commerce ministers of the two countries had already discussed the issue in detail earlier and a way forward has been decided. "The prime minister appreciated that Pakistan has moved ahead on bilateral trade,'' the foreign secretary said.

Earlier, in his statement to press, Singh said, "president Zardari and I had a very constructive and friendly exchange of views on all bilateral issues which affect the relation between India and Pakistan. President Zardari is on a private visit and I have taken advantage of this visit to discuss with him all bilateral issues and I am very satisfied with the outcome of this visit. President Zardari has also invited me to visit Pakistan. I would be very happy to visit Pakistan on a mutually convenient date.''

Describing the talks as fruitful, Zardari said, "we would like to have better relations with India. We spoke on all topics that we could have spoken about and hope to meet on Pakistan soil very soon.'' The two leaders were later joined by other dignitaries over lunch, which was attended, among others, by external affairs minister SM Krishna, home minister P Chidambaram, senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik and Rahul Gandhi.